Venous Disease

Venous Closure: Venous closure is a minimally invasive procedure where poorly functioning veins, such as varicose veins, are removed or closed so that they no longer cause symptoms. There are different modes of achieving closure such as radiofrequency ablation, laser-therapy, foam sclerotherapy and embolization. Typically, ultrasound (no radiation) is used for the procedure. The procedures are nearly always outpatient and can be performed in the comfort of an office and with minimal recovery time.

Used to treat: Symptomatic veins (e.g. painful, heavy, pressure, bleeding, etc), wounds and some infertility.

Venous thrombectomy: Thrombectomy means removal of clot. Patients can develop clot anywhere in their body, but the most common place is within their legs, often called a DVT, and the arteries going to the lungs, often called a PE. Venous thrombectomy is performed in a minimally invasive way using relatively small caliber devices to extract clot. No surgery or large incisions are necessary. The procedures are performed using x-ray and ultrasound. Patients are often discharged from the hospital in 1-2 days after such minimally invasive interventions.

Used to treat: Blood clots

Inferior Vena Cana (IVC) filters: Blood clots can lead to patients becoming critically ill or even death. For patients who have blood clots in their legs, are at high risk for development of blood clots and are unable to undergo treatment for the blood clots, inferior vena cava filters can be placed to potentially lower the risk of complication from the blood clots. IVC filters can help “catch” clot and prevent it from going to the heart and lungs. IVC filters are placed using ultrasound and x-ray, usually through one small opening in the skin of no more than 2-3 mm. IVC filters are commonly only temporary and can be removed within a reasonable amount of time, but can be left in permanently if deemed clinically necessary.

Used to treat: Potential complications from blood clots primarily in the legs.